Story pt2 Incomplete
by Dragonlord Carter
Summary: The second chapter of the saga, taking place aprox 1 year after the events at the end of the first.


"Incoming!" A female voice yells from a shadowed alley. A group of hooded figures duck as a hovercar goes flying over their heads.

"Thanks for the warning, Sheila," one of them yells. The others nod their heads. A figure appears out of nowhere, and signaled the group.

Ready? One... two...

With that, the group disappears from the back alleys they were in with a soft **BAMF **and appear in a small room, with minimal decorations.

Three... See? I always get us to the drop-off point.

"Not last time, Ness. Last time, we appeared about 10 miles away, but our cloaks appeared in the drop off spot. Leo had a fit trying to cover up our operation in the city."

The mysterious figure who teleported the group sighs. Joe, you're gonna have to realize that I'm not perfect. I do my best. Its bad enough that Dwayne has disappeared...

With that, the group hang up their cloaks on a set of hooks on a wall. Ness pushes a button on the wall with his hand (a rare thing for a psychic like him to do). A panel slides open in a wall, revealing a small camera. Ness walks over to it, and looks it in its 'eye'. A couple of seconds pass, and then a portion of the wall opens like a door. After you, Joe. The large Charizard hybrid walks into the room, followed by Ness, Kyle, Venus, BJ, Pyro, and Sheila (a boonie, a natural race of rabbit-like humanoids).

"Welcome, my strike team. I assume you have what we asked of you?" A robed human glares at the group, gnarled, withered hand extended.

"And what kind of mercenary team would we be if we didn't let Draconis have the data we carved out of the local Microsoft AOL Time Warner office. Information that nearly cost us all our lives, I might add." Joe replies with a sneer. Ness nods, and gestures behind Draconis. Three more figures, similarly robed, appear from the seeming darkness. "And I see you cannot do business without the assistance of your clan members. Tell your minions to back off, and go find a book of forgotten lore to curl up around. Understand?"

Draconis snarls in rage. "How dare you talk to me like that. I ought to blow your heads off of your bodies and feast upon the fountain of blood created from it." His fangs glisten in the pale light. "No matter. Either you give me what I want, or the rabbit girl becomes my next childe." With that, the 4 vampyres attack.

"You heard him. Let him have 'it'." With that, Joe and Pyro create a small fire tornado, and send it spinning towards the vampyres, incinerating one completely, burning even the ashes into nothingness. Venus fires off a torrent of acid at another, opening a giant hole where its intestines used to be. Kyle grins. "Here, let me wash that acid away..." He lets fire a blast of water from one of his shoulder mounted cannons, and vaporizes the holed vampyre. "Gotta love holy water when dealing with the forces of the unliving." BJ cracks her whip on the third minion, tearing its throat open, causing blood to trickle out slowly. Its head suddenly explodes in a blast of gore and blood. The body hits the floor just in time for Sheila to fire off a pair of flares into its body. The body explodes in a bloody fire, sending little flaming bits of vampyric flesh all over, missing Draconis. Joe levels a large revolver-like gun at Draconis' head. "Now, tell me who you work for, his clan type, and where I can find him, and I might leave your Tremere head on your shoulder. Then again, these rounds have been blessed and were left soaking in holy water. Care to test your hand on whether or not it will just put a hole in you, or whether it will obliterate you completely."

Draconis swallows. "I see I have no choice. However, I shall tell you now, it is not a vampyre who asked me to gather this information from you, but rather a mortal. A human mageling, named Derrik. He possessed a crest marking him as Archmage of the Hybrid Empire. He said he was looking for another mage; I believe he said it was his cousin. I would have checked his mind, but he had a spell to keep me from doing just that. I lost 2 childer to that man. Speaking of him..."

A small gateway opens in one of the walls, and a figure walks out of the murky swirl of colors. "I see my cousin's lap dogs are still here. A pity he is not with him. Tell me, Joe, where is my cousin. Or I will rip it from your mutated brain cells. Either way, I'll know where he is. And you all will be dead." A fireball rips past Derrik. Another portal has opened up on the other side of the Tremere, and a figure has walked out. Joe and his band are silent, because it is Dwayne. He has returned. A second fireball flies at Derrik, only to be stopped half way (placing it too close to Draconis' head for the vampyre's comfort) by one of Derrik's own. Draconis runs off, becoming one with the shadows as he runs deep within his chantry. Spells begin to hurdle back and forth between the two magi, neither giving an inch to the other as attack minions blow each other away with over powered lightning bolts and fire balls. Guard minions surround both of the wizards, keeping the actual spell casting down to nil now. A small portal appears behind Sheila. Dwayne yells "Get out of here. I'd rather you all got out than if Derrik blew you away." With that, the group take off through the portal, as Dwayne and Derrik begin to throw spells at each other again. Joe pauses before he runs in, and begins to concentrate. A pale orange-red glow surrounds Dwayne. "May the blessing of the Dragonkin aid you in this fight." That being said, Joe ducks into the portal as it winks out of existence.

"And may the Dragons guide my spells." Dwayne mumbles. A huge blast of flames flies from Dwayne's hands, wasting all of Derrik's guard minions, and doing a number on Derrik. Dwayne approaches Derrrik, and begins to chant a healing spell. Derrik weakly mumbles "Let me die." Dwayne finishes his spell with the chant of _Ee Vi_, causing a blue glow to cover Derrik. "I said let me die. I have committed evil things trying to get to you. And now, look at us. Throwing around spells at each other in the attempt to harm each other. And then your favorite Dragonkin throws a blessing on you, you mumble something similar, and then unleash the mother of all fireballs, wasting a good dozen or more minions, and almost killing me."

"But yet you still draw breath. And I was not intending to kill you, so my spell would not have either. I know the intricacies of magic far more than I got to teaching you. I was unable to spend the time teaching you things, like non-fatal, high powered spells, like that fire blast I hit you with. However, certain students of mine seemed to do better aiding others than casting their own spells. That's where the Aid wing of the tower came from. Joe was one of the best of my students from there. That blessing of his channeled his power into mine, to create a spell unmatched by any other person. Any one person in the Aid wing has easily as much power as you or I. Their power is used, however, by others with their blessings. The Aid wing was on a field trip, for lack of a better term, when the Teams attack the tower, burning it into the ground. That is when you lost me completely, or so you thought. You sold your skills to the highest bidder, trying to be able to gather the money and the favors to convince the likes of Draconis into getting information about me. Too bad that Draconis is on my payroll, so he hired the former strike team of the Empire. Thanks to the Teams attack, the Empire has ceased to be, really. Leo's successor, Tobli, has had to resort to standard politics to keep us under wraps. Now that we're becoming more active in the USCA controlled areas, they fear a whole-scale assault on hybrids. Even the poor Furres are being attacked. Just because they are different. Its like before in their history, like at the beginning of the second World War, when the people of the USA placed Japanese people in high scrutiny, and attacked them, thinking they were doing the good thing. And, like then, its all out of paranoia."

Derrik laughs. "Still talking like you were the author of a book, aren't you. To deal with the USCA and their Furre and Hybrid bashing will take a crack team of people, both humans and Hybrids, to pull off... such as you, me, and Lady Hawke's team."

Dwayne nods. "That's a good idea. I'm glad someone else came up with it. Now, to meet up with the others in the Underground Empire." With that, Dwayne waives his hand, and a portal appears. Dwayne and Derrik walk in, disappearing from Draconis' lair. All of the gates they opened disappear in puffs of smoke.

§ Underground Empire's War Room §

"And that's the story. Joe might have more to add, but he's been comatose since he walked through Dwayne's portal." Shelia sighs. "And I hoped my first mission for you guys was going to be easy. I would have never though I'd see two powerful mages go at it, let alone the two most powerful mages of the Empire."

"Well, I'm glad that I amazed you, milady. Its not every day that you get to amaze new friends of your friends." The boonie jumps as Dwayne and Derrik walk in. "I apologize for the interruption. Continue."

The face on the holo-screen gasps. "You're alive? Both of you?"

Dwayne smiles. "Yes, Tobli. Your two best attack mages are alive. How goes the battle?"

Tobli sighs. "Not too good. First, the USCA are still suspicious of me representing the Furres and Hybrids, me being the leader of the Team destroyed Empire. Second, they are paranoid, thanks to your strike team, and I have been trying to bail out the group. And, last, there is our funding. Or rather lack thereof. We are almost out of money. And part of it is because no one has seen you for quite some time. Who wants to back us up when the most powerful mages in the world are missing in action. Or were, now. Maybe we can get this show back on the road, so to speak."

Dwayne smirks. "So what do we need to do. Appear in a parade? March to Ellis? Or do you have something more hidden in mind, to keep our enemies less in the know than our allies?"

Tobli smiles. "You seem to have your spirit. As soon as Joe comes to, I have just the mission for you..."

§ Microsoft AOL Time Warner §

"So that is the plan? We run in, take over a studio, and make an announcement? It makes sound like we're nothing but a bunch of low rate terrorists. Like the group in that Ending Fiction series. It makes me sick."

Shelia storms around the small basement office, which was shabbily furnished, with only a fake-oak desk, and a pleather chair.

"Yes, that's the plan. Why, do you have problems with that? If so, then I'll just tell Tobli that you decided to not help us. I don't think you'd like that. Not at all. Especially when Tobli ends up in a bad mood. Now, are you in or what?" Shelia nods. "Good. Now, as there are a large amount to people in here, it is up to me to make it where we can take over. Now, they might have mages up there, so don't get more than 5 ft. from any other person. Break that distance, and the spell fails, and we're all completely visible. Or at least that's how it normally works. I haven't tried the Aided version yet. Ready?"

Joe says, "May the blessings of the Dragonkin aid you."

Kyle echoes, "May the blessings of the Turtles help you."

Pyro speaks, "May the Ferrets bless your skills by playing with them."

BJ repeats, "May Thor guide your magics."

Venus chants, "May the powers of Nature enhance the gifts She gave you."

Ness booms, May the very Mind that channels the mystic energies enchant those energies as you use them.

Derrik adds his blessing, "May your powers become all that much powerful with the addition of Mine."

Dwayne ends with a single word: "fooP". All 9 members of the team disappear from the office, as if they never were there.

§ MSWB Channel 4723 Newsroom §

"And our top story: Mushroom farmers in upstate New York have..."

"No one move unless we say so. This is a re-write of your top story."

The news anchor gets knocked out of his chair by a blast of water, like that from a fire hose. A cloak figure walks into the camera view.

"This is a top ranked mage, operating on a special mission. As you probably have heard being shushed, the Furre and Hybrid communities have been being treated like 3rd rate citizens. And to top it all off, for quite some time, the government has been holding a high ranking official of the Hybrid Empire for a number of years now just because she is a high ranking official, and a hybrid. I am, of course, referencing Phoenix. Right now, the government is trying to stop this broadcast, censor it, and/or shut off the TVs and datalinks. They're failing too. Because of all the mages they can muster, they cannot beat the two best mages in the realm. And I don't mean the President's elite mage guards."

The figure removes the hood from his cloak, revealing to the world that Dwayne is back. "I am Dwayne. Aided by my cousin Derrik, and bolstered by the most powerful of the Aid division of the Hybrid Empire's former Tower of the Arcane, there is no force the government can muster. Not even their weapons of mass destruction are operational right now. All because I used my power to allow me to spend this time speaking to you.

"Your government has been treating the Furre and Hybrid communities like dirt. They have been doing this since the Resurgence. They are fearful that the world might later be ran by non-humans. I hate to tell them, but they're lucky it took this long to have magic resurge into the world. If it was less than a century ago, the Dragons would ALL be awake, and they'd be running the world. As it stands, more than 80 of the Dragons are either asleep still, or are dead. Most of the ones alive right now are the Oriental Dragons, in possession of most of the East and Southeast chunk of Asia.

"As it stands, the ratio of Furres/Hybrids to Humans is about 1:15,000. That means there is about Fifteen Thousand humans for every Furre and Hybrid. Not much when you look at it this small. The full USCA, including what the Teams occupy of the Former Hybrid Empire has about 15 million humans. That means there is only about 1000 Hybrids and about another 1000 Furres in the entire USCA. And they think the Furres and Hybrids are gonna take over... The average intelligence of the humans is about 11, using the newest standard of IQ testing. The average Furre has an intelligence of about 14, and the average hybrid has about 15.

"Maybe they are afraid of the Furres and Hybrids waiting for the humans to join them or die off. Thanks to modern Technology and backed by Magic, the average human now lives to be 127. Furres and Hybrids are actually stunted by their non-human DNA, and live to be in their 70s or 80s. Rare individuals, such as Phoenix and some of her crack team, will out last the humans, living well up, and even possibly beyond their second century.

"So let the government worry. They are paranoid about .2 of their population, who live to be 30-50 years on average less than the Humans do, and are smarter than the average human. What they should be worrying about is why the Teams took down the Hybrid Empire in the name of humanity, when they have top ranked officials who are hybrids, and they haven't turned over the land back to USCA control.

"So, members of the Government. I give you this deal. Take it, or leave it. But I warn you. If you don't fulfil all of your side, I won't fulfil mine.

"The Deal is thus: You cease to belittle those who are not like you in appearance. Many former Presidents of the USA passed laws and amendments that gave rights to those who were not the 'ruling class', as it were. You will also aid those you have harmed, as if a foreign government had forced them to become refugees, because you yourself are that government. You will lend forces to the remaining parts of the Hybrid Empire to force the Teams out of their territories.

"On my side of the deal is this. I will personally see to it that we fulfil all of our part. I will be the sole person in charge of the USCA military aid, unless I designate another. Upon completion of the removal of the Teams, the re-founded Hybrid Empire will become trade partners with the USCA, and will sign Non-Aggression pacts. All Furres and Hybrids are given a passport, upon request, for use in the Empire, making them Dual Citizens between our two nations. I, or mages I designate, will begin formal training in the Art of Magic, covering everything from basic healing, to offence spells, and most importantly, the ability to channel magic to Aid others. We will turn over every human of the Teams to USCA control, except the main Leaders, for crimes against an allied nation. We will punish all Hybrids and Furres of the Teams for crimes against their fellow man. Then the Three Who Lead shall be placed before the planetary Counsel for Trial. Their charge? Crimes against Humanity and Kin.

"There is the offer. I expect an answer within three days. You may contact me through your mages. Have your highest, most powerful mage attempt a spell of summoning on me when you have your answer. If I have not heard yet in three days, the Empire will, under my guidance, force the USCA to submit."

With that, all the TVs and Datalinks on at the time of broadcast shut off, leaving all of the USCA in silence.

Dwayne turns to the news anchor. "Thank you for use of your systems."

Dwayne then mumbles "fooP" and the 9 disappear from the newsroom.

§ Underground Empire's War Room §

----§ One Day Later §----

"I saw that on an old TV. I couldn't shut the TV off. I tried it with a damaged TV, and to end it, I had to obliterate the TV. I didn't know you had that much power."

Tobli shakes his head. His fur is matted down, and in some spots, dingy, dirty, and gunky. His feathers are missing in patches, and are poorly preened. His normally tasteful suits have been replaced with faded T-shirts and cutoff pants. The rest of the Team are assembled in the office, not a whole lot better looking. Almost all of them appear to not have taken a shower in the past month, with the exception of Kyle, Derrik, and Dwayne. Kyle's growing a moss on his shell. His cannon compartments have started to seal shut (imagine like a piercing). Neither Dwayne nor Derrik appear, well, dirty. Derrik mumbles something, and all of the dirt, grime, and other dilapidation go away. Everyone is now looking refreshed. Dwayne smiles. "Thank you for the complement. How did you like the message?"

Tobli sighs. "It's exactly what I expected from you. Nice, to the point, and threatening without being unnecessarily so. And have you heard from the USCA yet?"

Dwayne shakes his head. "Nope. They are either cowering in terror, or they are deciding what they are going to do about me. Or maybe, they're discussing whether or not to trust me... Maybe."

Just then, Dwayne felt a tugging sensation. "They call." With that, Dwayne disappears.

§ USCA Holding Facilities §

--§ Mage Criminal Sections §--

"Are you feeling cocky, summoning me into a null-magic cell?"

Dwayne paces around the cell. Runes cover the bars and the walls of the cell. A well-dressed government worker stands on the outside.

"Why yes, Dwayne, I am feeling cocky. After all, you're in there, with all of your power tied up worse than the government's spending habits. And as for your 'deal' to the USCA, they've decided that you aren't doing anything, and that the rest of the remaining forces of the Empire will shatter without you being there."

Dwayne laughs. "You fool. Do you think I'm a mage by the old legend's standards? A spellcaster who cannot use anything heavier than a dagger or a staff because of the time it takes to learn the craft? Then you are a bigger fool than I thought you to be."

Dwayne draws a katana from his belt. He concentrates, and then swings it one-handed through the bars on the cell. He then sheaths the katana and looks at the dumbfounded government worker. "What's the matter, not expecting me to use a katana. That was the katana Muramasa, the sword of balance." The cell doors fall down, barely missing the worker. "Be thankful I cut them low. If I cut it in the middle, then you'd be praying that the bars landed on either side of you. Now, tell your bosses that you now have one day left to make up your mind."

With that, still in the cell, Dwayne says "rooD noitnemiD", and disappears from the cell. The worker pulls out a flip-phone. "Yep. he shortened the deadline. Apparently he didn't like our hospitality... Yes, he cast his warp spell. No, there was no flash of spell resistance from the cell... Well, he cut the door into pieces. And he is more powerful than we have come to expect... Yes, I'll send agents right away. Not that I think it will do any good... His eyes widen No sir. I don't need reminders like that. I'll get on it myself too..."

§ Hybrid Empire §

----§ 6 Hours to Deadline §----

"Figures. The government always waits until the last minute. Does it suit them to make the general populace wonder in terror? I'm even hoping for them to come to a decision, because I don't want to put the populace in terror of me."

A phone rings in the office. Tobli answers it while Dwayne continues to worry about the decision.

"Ok... You're sure? I'll ask him. Hey Dwayne, the President will fly out to a specific location of your choice to meet with you to discuss your ultimatum."

Dwayne leans his head on his hand, and sighs. "Tell him to meet me at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in DC. And remind him he has less than 6 hours left."

Tobli nods. "Ok, he says 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in DC. And he wishes for me to remind you that you have under 6 hours left... Ok, I'll let him know... Ok. Thank you Mr. President." Tobli hangs up the phone. "He says you are to come alone, and unarmed."

Dwayne sighs. "Aid, then. I dislike being unprepared. Ready?" The group nods.

Joe: May the Dragons and Dragonkin fly high to help measure your new power.

Tobli: May the wolves and the hawks, and their kin, the Griffins, speed your spells faster than your anger.

Kyle: May the Waters of Life flow to cool off tempers that flare, allowing decisions to be made well.

Ness: May the Mind of the Masses recognize this as a day of good faith in the new Order.

Pyro: May a thousand Fleas bite those who stand in the way of well-meaning progress.

BJ: May the Heavens ring out in Thunder to celebrate your success.

Venus: May Nature make wreaths for all who wish to remember this day as a sign of Good.

Shelia: May all those who are without their own lands remember this day as theirs!

Derrik: May Family and Friendship rule this day, and let the Great Mage himself set the skies alight in praise.

Buster: May the Teams feel the pain as we end their Tyranny!

Dwayne, bolstered by the 10 Aids, warps out without even chanting his warp spell.

§ The White House §

----§ 2 Hours, 25 Minutes Remaining §----

A large helicopter lands in a faded helipad near the old seat of the US. A lone figure walks up from the ruins of the White House towards the chopper. A door opens on the chopper, and 5 figures step out.

President: "So far, so good. Dwayne, stand where you are."

Dwayne (Still Walking): "I think not. 3 of the figures pull out automatic weapons Don't trust me? Fine, be that way."

The 3 armed guards seem to become frozen, as if they were living statues.

Dwayne: "You are dumb if you think you can bully me into submission. The agent who attempted to imprison me found out that that was not a good idea."

The other figure fumbles with a watch-like device on his arm.

Figure: "Sir, it's beginning to fail. He's overcharged with Magic."

President: "I see. As you most likely know, Dwayne, I do not deal well with threats."

Dwayne: "Yes, well... I figured like that was the best option, considering what little I had... Notices the R pin on the Figure's Italian suit A Rocket? You're in league with the Teams?"

President: "You could say that. Team Rocket is an independent branch of my Cabinet. They work for no one but me, and even then, they do what they want most of the time. They are, in part, of why the territories of the Hybrid Empire haven't publicly been given back."

The figure's form melts away with a loud curse from him. Now it is clear that it is a Hybrid Persian in the Italian suit.

"I should have known. Giovanni, head of Team Rocket. Figures that you would bring the head of the Rockets with you to 'discus' with me a solution." Dwayne sighs. "I just wish it hadn't come to this."

As Dwayne begins to chant a powerful spell, a form swoops from the sky, colliding into Dwayne, and breaking his concentration. Then, the form gets thrown into Giovanni, knocking them both onto his butt.

Giovanni: "You... you knocked me down... and you threw Sasorzia into me. You TRIED TO HURT MY MOLL!"

Giovanni stands up, being careful not to harm Sasorzia (Gliger). He then draws a baseball bat from within his suitcoat, and rushes at Dwayne, only to end up hovering off the ground, held up by the bat.

Dwayne: "That wasn't very nice, catching me off guard like that."

President: "Now I see what you meant by the Teams not being very reliable. I guess that I have no choice but to accept your proposal... At least for now..."

A burst of light crosses the sky, like a thousand shooting stars. Thunder cracks loudly, and a small Dragon flies high in the sky.

§ News Broadcast §

----§ One Day Later §----

Anchor: "And the President has made an announcement today that he has given in to the demands of the Hybrid Empire's highest mage, Dwayne. He has pledged one million solders to the work to liberate the Hybrid Empire from the Teams. He also has ordered all people to quit segregating the Furres and Hybrids from the rest of the populace. And, amazingly enough, he has released Phoenix from the Supreme Security Facilities, and apologized for his actions.

"In other news, the Teams have begun to pull out from all major cities, causing large amounts of people shouting 'Hurrah!' to flood the streets. We interviewed one individual about his opinions."

Hick: "I'ma thinkin' that this here means that them there Team peoples are gonna be a-gatherin' their members to attack them half-breeds before they can muster them mages of theirs."

"Harvard, Yale, and other prestigious collages and universities have received the first collection of Mages to teach Entry Level Magic courses. A spokesman from the new teachers said this."

Fox Hybrid: "Dwayne has hand picked this group of Magi for their people skills as well as their ability to teach. And we encourage all people, even those who have no apparent talent in magic, to take the classes. If nothing else, it will help with people knowing how to deal with someone abusing their gifts."

Charmander Hybrid: "And also, not all of the skills of Magic are truly magical. Brewing healing potions, for instance, is covered by us. But not all healing potions are simply spell channeling. Some require mixing herbs, which magic alone cannot do."

"This is MSWB Channel 4723, signing off for now. Watch all our new MSWB sitcoms and buy our home entertainment products."

§ Salem, Oregon §

----§ 3 Days Later §----

"Ok, you're orders are as follows: Alfa team is to secure all the remaining facilities in Oregon. Bravo, you've got Idaho. Charlie, you've got Washington. Delta, Southern British Columbia. Echo, You're with me. You've got your orders. Move out!"

Derrik sighs. 'I wish Dwayne hadn't decided to make me in charge of the troops. Not that I mind leading them... Just that I dislike this much responsibility.'

Echo Team Leader: "Your orders, sir?"

Derrik: "Our job is to play patchwork. If one of the other 4 teams needs backup, that's us. If they need fire support, we supply it. If one team is over their head, we move in. That's our orders."

Echo Team Leader: "Aye-Aye, sir."

--§ Meanwhile, in another tent... §--

Dwayne stretches out, and sits in a chair. "This is too easy. There are like no Rockets, Aquas, or Magmas out here. I think Giovanni, Archie, and Maxi have pulled their forces out, and left a skeleton crew here to put up a minor resistance... They're leading us on, making us think that we're winning, while they prepare for their counter attack. By the Gods, they've planned this out for a whole lot longer than I. I must warn Derrik and the others."

Dwayne runs into the command tent. "Derrik, I've got bad news. It appears that the Teams have been expecting us to do this. They've fled here like rats fleeing a sinking ship... Have all your men search their areas carefully. Look for anything out of place, like buildings rigged to blow, and crude, simplistic traps, like falling rocks and timber spears. And keep on the alert. We don't know exactly how many people the Teams have gathered to assault us, or how many of our own might be theirs."

Derrik nods. "I'll get right on it. And Dwayne, thank you."

Derrik walks over to the field radio as Dwayne leaves the tent. "Attention all troops. Modification of orders as follows. When retaking assigned areas, make sure to keep a lookout for all manner of traps, both modern and ancient. I say again, when retaking occupied areas, keep a lookout for traps for your safety."

The radio crackles with each of the four teams out of base reporting that they received the order, and will follow it to their best abilities.

Derrik sighs. 'I hate war.'

--§ Battle Scene Report §--

Of the 1,000,000 Soldiers sent to the Northwest to liberate the occupied Hybrid Empire, 946,348 returned to their families and/or friends. 50,000 were killed by booby-trapped buildings and rubble falling. 3,152 died in firefights, and 500 joined the Empire, becoming Hybrids and Furres.

--§ News Report §--

"This just in. An interview with some of the soldiers of the Empire liberation. Here's our reporter, with the news."

Reporter: "Well, it wasn't easy... It took a week to retake all of the area, due to a warning that the Teams might have booby-trapped the area. We have PFC. Ian Freely here to tell us about it. Thank you Private Freely for your time."

PFC. Ian Freely: "No problem. The guy in charge of Alfa Company told us that the commander said to watch out for buildings rigged to fall, and stuff like that. As if Murphy himself came out to greet us, the next building implodes on itself, taking out about 45 men. Then, another building lost its top floor, raining rebar, I-beams, and concrete on us. Another 27 died there... Come to find out that we were the lucky ones... some Companies lost up to 25,000 men. One of the buildings, we just couldn't get into. It was a giant tower, and its door was completely stone, without a handle. One of the Specs came up and said it was the Mage Tower that the Empire build for their magic learning. Funny thing is, that building got destroyed about the time the Empire lost their leader, Leo"

Reporter: "And also, we have one of the soldiers who has decided to join the Empire, and convert. Thank you, Spec SSGT. Bob Wehadababyitsaboy. Thank you, Sargent Bob.

Spec SSGT. Bob Wehadababyitsaboy: "I've seen what these Hybrids and Furres do. How they react with the rest of their communities. And above all else, how much they band together. Yes, some of the most prominent people of the Empire are humans, but look at it this way. Even after all we have done to them, and all they went through, they aren't hostile against us. It's almost like they pity us for our actions. And you have to qualify to join them. Not just anyone can become a Hybrid/Furre. That's how they keep the morons out, and the intelligence high. And I feel privileged to be able to join them."

Reporter: "That's all I have from the solders. Back to you in the hot-seat."

"This is MSWB Channel 4723, signing off for now. Watch all our new MSWB sitcoms and buy our home entertainment products."

§ Seat of the Hybrid Empire §

--§ DNA Resequencing Lab §--

----§ 2 Days After the Interview §----

"Welcome to the Combiner. I am Phoenix, one of the most well-known members of the Empire. This facility has gone from a crude gas chamber with an injector, to what you see now."

The 500 solders, as well as about a thousand more humans, stand in front of an office building, or at least it looks that way. The people are led into a set of rooms, each with a privacy screen and a large display screen. A robed figure walks up. "Thank you, Phoenix. I'll take it from here." Phoenix nods, and walks off. "Ok, you may have heard of me. I am the current magus in charge of the Combiner, a human by the name of Dwayne. Before you is a screen, and there is a touchpad on your chair. Sit down in your chairs." All the hopefuls sit down.

Dwayne (through a speaker under the chair): "Close your curtains please."

All the curtains close.

Dwayne (through a speaker under the chair): "Ok, good. Press the circular button in the middle of the three on the touchpad. On screen, you should see yourself, standing there, nude. As you press the Previous and Next buttons on the touchpad, you will see different versions of yourself, each one a cross between you, and the creature(s) listed. Also on screen is a time frame. This is how long you are gonna be out of it from start to finish. The bigger and more elaborate the form, the longer it will take for you to complete the change. And if you don't like the way the form is on screen, will it to change. You can increase/decrease height and weight in proportion to each other to a point. You will remain about your height now... No more than 6 inches in either direction for height change. You also can, to some degree, dictate muscle tone. However, the more rotund you are, the less build your forms will have. There is one-hundred-thousand or more different forms to choose from, some of which have special forms of their own. The bull, for example, has the form of the minotaur as a special. Some are noted with a water droplet. This means you will become a sea-creature, so you will wake up not in a room, but in one of the aquarium tanks in the back. And you will be breathing water, not air. This will take some getting used to. After you awaken from your change, you will have at least one mandatory counseling session, and once the councilor has deemed you ok, you get to have a group session. With me, Phoenix, and Tobli, as the others involved. When you have made your selection, you press the center button again, and the screen will blank. A card will then come out of a slot below the screen. You take this card, and head farther down this hall. A lab tech will be down there waiting. He will send you to your proper transformation chamber. With that, I will take my leave now, and I hope you are happy with your selection. There are NO refunds, because nothing short of extremely powerful magic will uncombine your DNA with that of your form. And you will be in huge amounts of pain."

With that, Dwayne walks out, leaving the 1500 or so people to choose their forms.

--§ Monitoring Room §--

"So, what do you think of my first orientation routine?"

Dwayne walks into the small room, which monitors all 2000 Change Choosers, and all 2500 Changing Chambers. Phoenix stands in the room, looking at the assorted people.

"Less of a routine, more like a lecture. But it does cover everything I could think of. And some precautions I wasn't expecting. Are you sure counseling will be necessary?"

"But of course, milady. Especially for the new hydros. It eases the change. That, and it allows them to be informed that their child will be human unless they find another just like themself. Eventually, they will be so many that they will all breed true, and become permanent races. That allow standard cross breeding, and not our failsafe 'Human if mismatched' setup."

Phoenix turns, and looks at Dwayne with her blue eyes. "I am confident in your abilities, and those that you trained. In this world of magic and science, something good will happen."

Dwayne sighs. "I wish I had your level of confidence. Personally, I think that only time will tell."

§ Hybrid Empire §

--§ Training Grounds §--

----§ 27 Days Later §----

A large metal-plated snapping turtle hybrid stands before a group of Hybrid and Furre recruits. "Ok, listen up. You are mud. You are worthless. You are untrained. I am your Drill Instructor. If you wish to speak to me, you will refer to me as Sir. Is that clear?"

All Recruits: "Sir, yes sir!"

Buster: "This ain't the USCA military. You don't just get trained in being mindless grunts. This ain't the Far East either. You don't get to sit on yer asses meditating and learning magic. This is the Empire. You become thinking grunts, trained with minor magics. And yer gonna listen to your boss. Right now, that's me. When the higher ups show up, then it's them. And you'll know when the higher ups show up, because even I'll give them a wide birth. I'm not to overly fond of the bigwigs, but I owe my allegiance to the Empire to one of them. Now you maggots, get into the barracks and wait for me."

Recruits: "Sir, yes sir!"

With that, the Hybrids and Furres run into the barracks building, awaiting further orders.

Buster runs into a different building, the NCO break office, and gets a large (1.25 gal) mug of coffee, and takes a big ole' swig of it. A figure walks out of the shadows, wearing a senior DI's hat.

Buster looks over at the newcomer. "Hello, SSGT Cox. How are you doing today?"

Les Cox (SSGT, USCA National Guard) looks up. "You ought to know better than to ask me that. What makes you think I honestly want to deal with people who gave up their humanity for the novelty of being something different. I bet you that a good 25 of these guys wash up and end up working for the Teams, and/or request for the impossible, revocation of their transformation. And you have the gall to ask me how I'm doing?"

Buster sighs. "Ok, so you hate us all, and what we do and look like. It doesn't look like you hate doing what you have to do anyway."

Sgt. Cox shakes his head. "I never said I hated you. I just disliked the decision you all made. But that doesn't mean I won't do my job. With your Empire becoming an ally with the USCA, they felt that you could use some help readying yourself against any foes, foreign or domestic. I think they're doing it because your bossman scared them something fierce. Anyway, have you most recent squad meet me at the parade grounds at 1325 on the dot. Any questions Sgt.?"

Buster comes to attention. "No sir."

Sgt. Cox barks, "Dismissed!", and Buster runs to his division, to get them prepared for what will await them at 1:25 PM...


End file.
